


Unexpected Visitors

by penombrelilas (crookedspoon)



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Childhood, Community: fanfic100, F/M, Gen, I Was Drunk When I Wrote This, Other, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-25
Updated: 2008-08-25
Packaged: 2017-10-29 01:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/314165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crookedspoon/pseuds/penombrelilas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wanted to see you, nee-sama.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected Visitors

The aesthetic horticulture behind the mansion offered many elements for recreational use, be it bird-watching, relaxing in the rose garden, dining on the terrace or escaping the oppressive sunlight in the luscious shade of the variety of trees considerately planted in a thoughtful architectural setting. Cornelia sat beneath the fragrant branches of a Jacaranda tree in full bloom, where it was bright enough to go over her written lectures while still being shielded by the glaring pre-summer rays. She liked the spot, because Euphie had noted how much the color of the tree's flowers reminded her of Cornelia's hair.

"Nee-sama!" As if the mere thought could summon her, Euphie was running over the opulent green meadow toward her sister, small hands outstretched in front of her body. With a fond smile, Cornelia closed her weighty book of the history of the Britannian Empire and placed it on the stony bench beside her to stand and meet Euphie halfway, embracing her, spinning her around. The chimes of laughter she received lifted her spirits like nothing else could. Kneeling in front of her and placing her hand on those tiny shoulders, she kissed Euphie's cheek.

"Have you run away from your maidservants again?" she attempted to chide, although she was glad for the interruption of her studies. Her tutors would come search for her soon, so Cornelia wanted to enjoy what little time she had with her sister. They might be living in the same mansion, their quarters only a corridor apart, but on some days they were not able to see each other until after dinner. By then, Euphemia had become so exhausted from learning her letters that she fell asleep against Cornelia's shoulder.

Euphie's eyes dropped to the soil in front of her slippered feet and a blush stained her rosy cheeks, enhancing her cuteness. "I wanted to see you, nee-sama."

Cornelia enveloped her in another hug. It was endearing that her sister could not wait until the evening hours when she would read a bedtime story to her. Euphie never let her maids read to her, or anyone else for that matter, insisting she could not sleep unless Cornelia's voice was the last she heard. A real pampered princess she was, but she possessed a natural charm that made declining her wishes very difficult.

"Would you read to me, nee-sama?" There it was. Her big, sparkling eyes had a compelling effect.

"But Euphie," Cornelia's expression softened once more. "All I have here are historical notes. They're dry and boring. You will have to study them soon enough."

Euphemia shook her head, pale magenta hair flying this way and that. "I don't care. As long as nee-sama reads to me. Please?"

Breathing a soft chuckle, Cornelia stroked Euphie's cheek. "If that is what you want." Then she stood up, brushing her knees, as if that would clean the green-brownish spots, going back to where she left her book on the stony bench and patting the place next to her. Cornelia chose the invasion of Juilius Caesar, because the mythological character of the story was stronger than the factual account. She thought Euphie might appreciate it the most, but glancing up during her lecture, Cornelia caught her sister staring after butterflies rather than listening. She could have read some Chinese legend in its original language and Euphie would still be sitting placidly like that.

After about half of the story, Euphemia dropped a bouquet of forget-me-nots on her sister's lap. Or her book, rather. A wreath, she wanted and Cornelia would not say no to a harmless request like this. The muscles in her fingers were still strained from her calligraphy and fencing lessons, but she ignored her trembling hands in order to bind the flowers for her beloved sister. None of Euphie's wishes would ever go unheard by Cornelia.

She had just about finished the bluish white wreath, when Cornelia spotted a servant of the main house approach the both of them. A man in his middle years, clothed in the blue-and-red livery of the Britannian noble house, he touched his fist to his heart and bowed politely when he was about five feet away from them. At first, she thought he was coming to escort Euphie back to her maidservants or Cornelia back to her tutors.

"Miladies, your presence is required. A guest has arrived. May I have the pleasure of escorting you back to the mansion?" The light breeze stirred his short, dark blonde strands and carried his soft voice toward them. Cornelia doubted she would have understood a word had the wind blown in the opposite direction.

Rearranging the wreath above her brows, Euphemia looked up at him, curiosity sparkling in her eyes like bonfires alighting street squares on Beltane. "Who is it? Who is it?" she questioned, as she skipped toward him, pale skirts fluttering around her ankles.

"See for yourself, Euphemia-sama. I am certain you will be delighted." Apparently that answer did not satisfy Euphie, so she unleashed a torrent of names of possible visitors she could think of, beginning with the ones she wanted to see, like Lelouch or Clovis, and going over more distant relatives she still remembered in the hope of receiving any sort of affirmation from the lean servant. To her dismay, he did not give her so much as a hint.

Tucking her leather-bound history volume safely under her arm and a stray lock of deep fuchsia hair behind her ear, Cornelia followed the both of them at a sedate pace. She was curious as to who would ask for them, but years of being drilled in the proper forms of etiquette ruled over her impatience. Euphie ran ahead, every now and then twirling around and waving or burying her nose in one of the rose bushes lining the paved stone path. The servant turned every twenty steps too, inclining his head as he did so, as if needing reassurance that Cornelia was indeed still following and not disappearing to another part of the gardens.

He held open the carved back doors, bowing deeply, as she was ascending the white-railed marble stairs. Euphie waited inside, next to a tapestry depicting a hunting scene, shaking out one of her slippers. When Cornelia entered the hallway, she tugged it on again and ran toward her sister to clasp her small hands around Cornelia's free one. Giving it an affectionate squeeze, she smiled reassuringly and would have ruffled Euphie's pink head, if

The servant led them to the informal meeting room; it was smaller than the formal one, which was used for ambassadors from different parts of the Empire or lesser nobles, the walls were painted in sky blue with white clouds beneath the ceiling and decorated with brightly lacquered china.

The first thing Cornelia spotted upon entering was long wavy black hair. _Marianne_. The Empress was there, seated near the marble fireplace, sipping at a cup of steaming tea, her son Lelouch standing by her side. A gentle smile graced her delicate features, when she spotted the two of them in the doorway and Cornelia's cheeks suddenly suffused with warmth. She felt Euphemia's grip on her hand tighten and the blotchy blush on her face must have been a mirror image of her own.

Setting her cup down on the carved table in front of her seat, Marianne-sama stood, every inch of her dignified posture a sign of welcome to the two sisters. A flick of her wrist sent the servant on his way, closing the door behind him. Cornelia stiffened, then curtsied as deeply as she could in her uniform and with a book by her side. Euphie did the same, in a more graceful manner as her dress allowed for more freedom of movement.

"Come here, children." Marianne's melodious voice held the barest hint of command. Behind her, Lelouch was fixating the hem of her dress so intensely that he must have been burning a hole into it. So, he was the reason for Euphie's hesitant approach.

The closer Cornelia came the more she noticed the obvious swell of Marianne-sama's belly. Apparently, she was not the only one.

"Are you pregnant?" Euphie chirped, mouth parted in wonder and leaning forward as if that would allow her to see the new life growing inside of Marianne-sama. She had seen enough pictures of their mother, when she was carrying Euphie, to think a round belly indicated pregnancy. "Is it a boy or a girl? Do you already have a name?" she continued attacking Marianne-sama with questions. Cornelia was awed at how forward her sister was; she herself would not have dared asking the Empress such a question. Lelouch's eyes shifted toward Euphie for a second, before he swiveled them back to staring at his feet.

The Empress touched a delicate-looking hand to her stomach and amusement rippled off of her in shallow waves. Her eyes glittered with the bliss only a mother could feel as she looked back at Lelouch, resting her other hand on top of his head. "You are very observant, Euphemia. I am indeed having another child. A little sister for Lelouch. Isn't that right, honey?" Here she ruffled his inky black hair.

And apparently his feathers too. "Mother!" he blurted, slapping at her hand and taking a step aside. Running his hands over his head, he tried straightening his strands as best he could by feeling.

"Nee-san, did you hear? We'll have another sister soon!" Euphie squealed and threw her arms around Cornelia's hips in excitement.

"I'm happy for you Marianne-sama," Cornelia managed, bowing her head to the woman she idolized. Receiving the attention of a formidable warrior such as Marianne vi Britannia was quite an honor, even for the Second Princess of the Empire.

"Thank you, Cornelia." Marianne's serene smile lasted for two more seconds, before her piercing eyes gave it a harder quality. "But that is not what I came here to show you. I have talked with your father. Would you like to ride my Knightmare unit?"

Cornelia clutched Euphie tighter to herself. Ride Marianne's Knightmare? Today must be her lucky day. She knew if she excelled at her lessons at fencing and close-range combat, her instructors would let her get acquainted with the humanoid war machines. But that Marianne-sama herself would introduce her, she wouldn't even have been able to dream.

"Lelouch, why don't you take Euphemia outside and play with her, while I show my Knightmare Frame to Cornelia." Jerking at the mention of his name, Lelouch looked up at his mother, eyes wide and incredulous, a blush staining his cheeks, as he was trying to form any words of protest or approval. Doubtless he was thankful to his mother for receiving alone time with Euphie.

"Yes," Euphie squealed, disentangling herself from Cornelia's embrace and running over to Lelouch to grasp his hands. "I've been wanting to show you the fish in the the easternmost of our garden ponds. They look really funny, you _have_ to have seen them!" With a swishing of skirts and coat tails and the echoing of footsteps against the marble tiles they vanished behind the huge oaken doors that led to the east entrance of the mansion.

Cornelia bit the inside of her lip in an attempt to keep the expression on her face neutral. It was unbecoming of a princess to scowl, but it was hard to ignore the pinch of jealousy in her chest. Of course, Euphie was happy to see Lelouch. Cornelia was within reach every day, but when did Lelouch come to this part of Pendragon, the Imperial City? She would have to send a servant to look after them later. Lelouch was not much older than Euphie, he could not protect her should anything happen.

The empty space of the doorway was filled by a young guard with steel blue hair. His white-and-blue uniform had Marianne's personal sigil stitched to the left breast in thread-of-silver. "Your Majesty, is it all right to let the children run off all on their own?" he asked, his deep voice somewhat hesitant, as if afraid to voice his concerns.

"Do you doubt the security of this place, Jeremiah?"

"Forgive me, your Majesty." He bowed again, nearly parallel to the ground this time.

When Cornelia felt Marianne's hand on her shoulder, she realized she had been staring. "Let's go, Cornelia. Your brother Schneizel is waiting for you."

Schneizel was here, too? Cornelia scratched her cheek with her free hand. Marianne-sama wanted them to go immediately as it seemed, so she placed her book on the table, next to the half empty cup of tea. She would have liked to put on a different pair of uniform pants, though, seeing as the ones she was wearing had stains on the knees. Combing her hair would have been preferred too, as sitting outside, exposed to wind and weather, must have dishevelled her purple locks.

Cornelia blushed as she stepped past Jeremiah, as dignified as she could muster with the wind-swept image of herself she saw with her mind's eye. She would have wanted to look presentable for Schneizel...


End file.
